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The school is coming to a close. Emma and Piet performed dances with their class that they had practiced during the last two terms (practice which is rather unpopular with Piet, but he still managed a decent performance. The annual beach carnival was held on a nearby harbour beach - no swimming or getting into the water - with games involving water, sand and running.
Juliana turns two
We celebrated Juliana's birthday conveniently in the weekend. Juultje has her
breakfast, not realising the presents on the table were for her. But after we sang her happy birth day in Dutch, she got the unwrapping: the presents were hers! The
balance bike was a bit challenging at first, but later in the day she would be able to use it. The
handbag she understood straightaway.
Emma and Piet read her cards, except opa's as his handwriting is too hard. Emma had selected Juultje a baby pusher, which Juultje instantly liked. Piet gave her an aqua doodle set, that functions as a whiteboard on which Juultje can draw with a water pen. Emma was interested in her book. Later in the morning, we had the two-shaped cake.
T-ball
This summer season, Piet has been playing a T-ball game on Saturday morning (conveniently early at 8.30am) with a training session on Friday afternoons after school. Initially, he was reluctant to participate, but now he kind of
enjoys it. T-ball is the junior variant of baseball, in which the ball is hit from a stand instead of being pitched. The stand looks like an upside down 'T'. It is played at Piet's school, where he liked the game. Part of the baseball tradition is to have professional
team and
individual pictures taken.
Chrismas day
The kids put their
stockings out on christmas eve, which were filled by Santa. In addition to his presents, (grand)parents also put out some presents under the
tree. We have done it like this before, but this was the first year Piet and Emma also bought their father a christmas presents (a short and shorts). We
unwrapped our first present at 6.30am and were
happy with a tshirt and voice transformer. Once oma and Juultje got up, we unwrapped the rest of the 'stockings presents'. Juultje received a
beanie boo and
bangles. Piet and Emma got hoola hoops and used them for
jumping. Dad took Juultje to the beach, so Piet and Emma had the opportunity to decorate a
gingerbread house.
We had the traditional christmas barbeque lunch, followed by the unwrapping of the 'christmas tree presents'. Juultje got a few books, which opa helped unwrap. Despite the absence of major presents, everybody was happy. We watched the dvd that Santa had given. Juultje played with a book. For desert, we had the gingerbread house. Piet and Emma showed their school work books to their proud grandparents. Piet and opa played with his (their) christmas present. We had a lovely, relaxed christmas day.
On Boxing day, mum took opa and oma up North Head, walking the last kilometer or two. Opa normally watches the start on TV, but this year he did it live. We had a good view of the yachts leaving the harbour. The next day, we waved them goodbye.
Mum removed the sides from Juliana's cot, as she is now a big girl (and her brother was only five months older when he got his adult bed). As all previous years in Sydney, we went to Manly's harbour beach on New Years Eve to have a picnic, play on the beach and in the water, light some sparklers and watch the 9pm fireworks. We cycled home and dad, Piet and Emma left at half five the next morning for the drive to opa and oma for a one week sleepover.
